Method of and apparatus for making emergency pipe connections



Nov. 17, 1931. 1 H. M. MYRACLE ,8 1

- METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING EMERGENCY PIPE CONNECTIONS Filed Jan. 19, 1951 INVENTOR Hob M/v m/e' ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOBART M. MYRACLE, OF OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN IRON AND MACHINE WORKS COMPANY, OF OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, A CORPORA- 'lION OF OKLAHOMA METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING EMERGENCY PIPE CONNECTIONS Application filed January 19, 1931. Serial No. 509,866,

My invention relates to a method of and apparatus for making emergency pipe connections and particularly refers to the connection of the control apparatus of an oil well casing from which master gate valves have been torn away due to the sudden release of high fluid pressures upon drilling the well into extremely high pressure strata, the principal objects of the invention being to reestablish the control connections in a comparatively simple manner and in a relatively short time so the well can be capped and brought under normal control.

In accompanying these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an 011 well flowing wild through the well casing, and illustrating the control apparatus which is being brought into alignment with the open end of the well casing.

Fig. 2 is a central, vertical sectional view of the die nipple and snubber collar employed in drawing the nipple into engagement with the casing.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the die nipple and its guide, on the line 33, Fig. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawings;

1 designates the upper end of a well casing V projecting into a cellar 2 below the derrick 3 and from which the master valves have been torn away, leaving the usual threads partly or completely disrupted.

The derrick 3 includes a floor 4 having 'an opening 5 in line with the casing, draw works 6, a crown block 7 operably connected with the draw works through a cable line 8, a hook 9 suspended in the derrick by the cable and an elevator 10.

The apparatus for subduing and controlling the flow of fluid escaping wildlyfrom the disrupted casingincludes a die nipple 11 forming a part of my invention, a pipe section 12 connecting the die nipple to a pair of master gate valves 13 and 14, and a pipe section 15 for leading the escaping stream of fluid upwardly into the derrick to reduce the hazard to workmen on the derrick floor and to provide means for attaching the elevator for swinging the controlling apparatus into position above the well casing.

The die nipple includes a die portion 16 having asuitable diameter to receive. the end of the'casing and is provided with die threads 17 for establishing threaded connection with the casing. The lower portion 18 of the die threads are preferably fluted to assure easy hold on the damaged threads of the casing. The upper portion of the threads are full pipe threads to take hold of those formed on the casing as later described.

The upper end of the die includes a reduced threaded neck 19 conforming to the diameter of the pipe section 12 and its lower end is provided with a counterbored socket 20 for receiving a packing ring 21 which is urged into sealing engagement with the cas ing, when the nipple is mounted thereon by a gland 22. The gland is retained against the packing by nuts 23 threaded on stud bolts 24 which are threaded into openings 25 formed in the lower face of the die and extend through aligning openings 26 in the packing gland.

A fan guide 27 for accurately centering the die on the casing is preferably made in two parts, each comprising a plurality of radially extending blades 28 connected at their upper ends by an inner and outer ring or collar 29 and 30 respectively and at their lower ends by 'a collar 31. The blades have notches 32 complementary to the flange 33 formed by the die and gland 22 and downwardly and outwardly tapering lower end edges 34 for directing andguiding the die nipple into concentric relation with the casing when it is being drawn thereto. As particularly shown in Fig. 3, the halves of the guide are secured together by bolts 35 extended through aligning openings 36 of adjacent guide blades.

The neck of the die is secured to the lower end of the casing section 12 by a coupling collar 37 which forms a shoulder at its upper end for supporting a snubber member 38 that is sleeved over the pipe section 12, an antifriction bearing 39 preferably being provided between the snubber and the shoulder. A' plurality of cars 40 are formed on the indicated at 43.

Brackets or casing clamps 44 may further be provided on the apparatus, as for example, between the master valves, so that additional anchorage may be employed for connecting the control apparatus to the derrick floor.

Valve stems 45 of the master valves are also preferably provided with universal couplings 46 to which suitable extensions may be attached for remotely closing the gates.

The operation for bringing a wild well under control with a die nipple and mastergate assembly, constructed as described, is as follows:

The master gate valves and necessary Christmas tree connections, are assembled on the derrick floor with the master gates in opened condition. The pipe extension 15 is then connected thereto for leading the violently flowing streams of gas and oil high into the derrick to reduce the danger of injury to the workmen making the connection.

After the snubber and pipe section 12, to

which the die nipple is attached, have been secured to the lower end of the control ,assembly, and the fan guide has been mounted over the flange of the die, the assembled apparatus is swung into the derrick with the elevator 10 operated fromthe draw works. The chain hoists 42 are next attached to the ears of the snubber collar and as the assembled device is slowly lowered onto the casing the hoists are manipulated to maintain the chains in taut condition ,and to approximately center the nipple over the casing.

Upon engagement of the fan blades with the casing the device is automatically moved into accurate concentric alignment with the casin due to the taper of the fan blades, and the flowing stream from the well is free to pass between the blades of the guide and through the nipple and pipe extensions since the master valves are still in open position.-

As the die engages the damaged end of the casing the apparatus is rotated by means of the draw works, and the fluted section of the die easily catches the damaged threads of the casing. Rotation of the die is continued until the tongs, actuated by the draw works, are no longer able to. withstand the strain.

More powerful tongs may then be employed and operated with suitable pipe extensions until it is impossible to thread the die further onto the casing.

The fan guide is next removed from the die nipple and the packing gland is moved into engagement with the packing and is forced upwardly into the socket by the nuts 23 to firmly compress the packing in the socket and around the casing.

If deemed necessary, additional anchors are secured to the derrick floor and to the casing clamps 44 to relieve the strain on the newly formed connection when the entire pressure of the well is brought to bear against the master valves.

Suitable extensions may then be attached to the universal couplings on thestems of the master gates, whereupon the stems are slowly rotated to close the gates, thus pinching oil the flow and bringing the well under control.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. In combination with a well casing, a die having a threaded portion for cutting threads on the casing when rotated thereon, and a fan guide for centering the die on the casing.

2. In combination with a casing, a die having a threaded portion for cutting threads on the casing when rotated thereon,.a guide for centering the nipple on the casing, and packing means associated with the die for effecting a sealing relation between the die and casing.

3. In combination with a casing, a die having an internally threaded portion for cut ting external threads on the casing when rotated thereon, and a fan guide for centering the die on the casing.

4, In combination with a casing, a die nipple having an internally threaded portion for cutting external threads on the casing when rotated thereon, a fan guide for centering the nipple on the casing, and packing means associated with the nipple for eifecting a sealing relation between the nipple and casing.

5. Incombination with a casing, a die having a threaded portion for cutting threads on the casing when rotated thereon, and a guide member for the die including radial blades having inwardly tapering lower edges for centering the die on the casing.

- 6. In combination with a well casing, a die nipple having an internally threaded portion for cutting threads on the casing when rotated thereon, a guide on the nipple including radial blades having inwardly tapering lower edges for centering the die nipple on the casing, and packing means associated with the nipple for effecting sealing relation between the die nipple and easing.

7. In combination with a casing, a die nipple having an internally threaded portion for cutting external threads on thecasing when rotated thereon and having a counterbored socket, a packing ring seated in said socket, and means for urging the packing ring into sealing engagement with the cas- 1ng.

8. In combination with a casing, 21 die nipple having an internally threaded portion 'for cutting threads on the casing when rotated thereon and having a counterbored socket, a guide on the nipple including radial 9. In an apparatus of the character described, a die nipple'having a threaded portion for cutting threads on a casing when rotated-thereon, an outwardly extending flange on the nipple having a socket, a packing ring adapted to encircle the casing and seated in the socket, a packing gland, and means for drawing the gland toward the flange to urge the sealing ring into sealing engagement with the casing when the die is threaded thereon.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, a die nipple having a threaded portion for cutting threads on a casing when rotated thereon, an outwardly extending flange on the nipple having a counterbored concentric socket, a packing ring adapted to encircle the casing and seated in the socket, a packing gland, means for drawing the gland toward the flange to urge the ring into, sealing engagement with the casing, and a guide including radial blades having notched portions for receiving the flange of the nipple and having inwardly tapering lower edges for centering the nipple on the casing.

11. In combination with a casing, a die having a threaded portion for cutting threads on the casing when rotated thereon, a guide associated with the die including radial blades having inwardly tapering lower edges for centering the die on the casing, and a colla-r surrounding the guide for spacing said blades. v

12. In combination with a casing, a die having a threaded portion for cutting threads on the casing, when rotated thereon, an outwardly extending flange on the die, a fan guide associated with the die including radial blades having notched portions for receiving the flange of the die, and having inwardly tapering lower edges for centering the die on the casing.

13. In combination with a die having an outwardly extending flange, a guide member on the die including radial blades having notched portions for receiving said flange, and means for retaining said blades-in the flange.

14. In combination with a casing, a die nipple having a threaded portion for cutting threads on the casing when rotated thereon, an outwardly extending flange on the nipple, a guide including radial blades having notched portions for receiving said flange, and having inwardly tapering lower edges for centering the nipple on the casing and collars for connecting and spacing said blades. I

15. The method of connecting a die-nippled control apparatus of ahigh pressure well with the well casing through which a well is flowing, comprising suspending the control apparatus over the well casing, lowering the control apparatus until the die nipple contacts with the well casing, and rotating the control apparatus and the die nipple to thread the die nipple onto the casing and effecting connection of the control apparatus.

16. The method of connecting a dienippled control apparatus of a high pressure well with the well casing through which the well is flowing, comprising, suspending the control apparatus over the well casing,

lowering the apparatus until the die nipple contacts with the well casing, rotating the apparatus to cause the die to cut a thread on the casing, and packing the connection of the die withthe casing.

17. The method of connecting a control apparatus of a high pressure well with the well casing through which the well is flowing, said control apparatus including a die nipple, comprising, suspending the control apparatus over the well casing, drawing the apparatus against the flow from the well casing until the die nipple contacts the well casing, rotating the apparatus to out a thread on the casing, and continuing the rotation to thread the die nipple on the casing.

apparatus of a high pressure well with the casing through which the well is flowing,

said control apparatus including a die nipple, comprising, suspending the control apparatus over the well casing, drawing the die nipple into engagement with the well casing against the flow of oil from the casing, rotating the control apparatus to thread the die nipple on the casing, and packing the connection between the die nipple and the casing.

19. The method of connecting a control apparatus having a die nipple on its lower end to the casing of a high pressure flowing well,'comprising suspending the control apparatus above said casing, drawing the apparatus against the flow from the casing until the nipple contacts with said casing and simultaneously therewith centering said nipple with said casing, rotating said apparatus to cut a thread on said casing, 'and contin'uing said rotation until said nipple is threaded on said casing.

20. The method of connecting a control apparatus having a die nipple on its lower end to the casing of a high pressure flowing well, comprising suspending the control apparatus above said casing, drawing the apparatus against the flow from the casing until the nipple contacts with said casing and simultaneously therewith centering said nipple with said casing, rotating said apparatus to cut a thread on said casing, continuing said rotation until said nipple is threaded on said 21. The method of connecting a controlapparatus to a casing from which fluid is issuing under pressure, said apparatus including a conduit having a die nipple on one end, a centering guide carried by said nip 1e, and a control-valve in said conduit, whic consists in opening said control valve, bringing said centering guide over and into contact with the end of the casing, moving said conduit longitudinally toward the casing so as to center the nipple and simultaneously directing the flow of fluid through said conduit, rotating said conduit and nipple so as to screw thread the end of the casing, continuing said rotation until said nipple is seated on said casing, removing said centering guide, applying packiiig around said casing at the nipple, and lastly closing said control valve.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HOBART M. MYRACLE. 

